The Italian Election: Why Beppe Grillo Is No Joke

2/8/2013 7:01AM

The comedian turned politician has been gaining popularity and is performing strongly in the polls. WSJ's Alessandra Galloni explains why he may be a force in Italian politics after the election results are announced.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... politics always provide a bit of comic relief but this time around the competition that Italy's main parties are getting from comedian turned politician that the deal is no laughing matter ... the deal has risen in the polls thanks to rising discontent about austerity measures by the technocrat government of the idea was that ... I mean general dissatisfaction with mainstream parties that many people say don't understand the real problems of the town ... in regional elections just recently ... Mr. Nieto's five Star movement ... gained fifteen percent of the vote that made it safely largest party and some pollsters say that he could repeat that on a national level ... what would make in the second largest party in Italy ... whatever happens in these elections Mr. the deal is going to be a powerful force ... in not only the elections but possibly the next five years of Italian government ... that the deal has for a long time been a very popular comedian in Italy ... and he's known for some antiques and stands for example right before ... the Sicilian elections Kiesel and the Straits of Messina which is the body of water between the mainland Italy and Sicily the islands ... he also had his party is a primary is only on line ... and although she talks about said mainstream parties that being added to it and eat it ... he also keeps his party and a tight news ... he took out a member of his party recently because she went on a popular Italian TV shows and he says he doesn't like TV ... it's hard to say whether that the deal is left or right he's a radical ... I and he has become popular ... and just because of people's discontent with the situation in Italy and lean years and years and I'll governance one thing we do know is that he says that the euro should be a choice and the Italian people and he has proposed holding a referendum if you like it you stay in it that I don't like it ... they get ... there's actually no chance if he would become prime minister himself ... at once because he actually cannot run for office because of the previous criminal conviction ... still he is putting forth his party members ... the politicians of Mr. getting those five Star movement aren't likely to be part of the governing coalition ... but they could very well be an influence in Parliament especially if his party gets enough seats ... at and also because he's so popular among Italians at larger many Italians at large ... but he can bring to the fore some issues that the government might not necessarily ...